Summary

  • England will play in Tuesday's semi-finals

  • Into last four for first time since 2009

  • Will not know opponents until Saturday

  • FT: Slovakia 3-0 Sweden

  1. LINE-UPSpublished at 19:42 British Summer Time 22 June 2017

    England U21 v Poland U21 (19:45 BST)

    England U21: Pickford, Holgate, Chambers, Mawson, Chilwell, Chalobah, Baker, Ward-Prowse, Swift, Redmond, Gray. Subs: Gunn, Stephens, Abraham, Targett, Murphy, Holding, Hause, Iorfa, Hughes, Grealish, Woodrow, Mitchell.

    Poland U21: Wrabel, Kedziora, Bednarek, Jach, Jaroszynski, Linetty, Murawski, Frankowski, Kownacki, Moneta, Piatek. Subs: Dragowski, Bielik, Lasicki, Stepinski, Lipski, Dawidowicz, Niezgoda, Kapustka, Kubicki, Buksa, Szyminski, Stryjek.

    Referee: Harald Lechner (Austria)

  2. 'It shows they have passion'published at 19:42 British Summer Time 22 June 2017

    England U21 v Poland U21 (19:45 BST)

    Paul Simpson
    England Under-20 manager in Poland for 5 live

    On things getting heated in the dressing room at half-time in the game against Slovakia: There is no ill-feeling inside the camp. There is a real good feeling staff and players. Those sorts of things go on at every football club but it is no big deal. It is normal, it shows they have a bit of passion.

  3. Postpublished at 19:42 British Summer Time 22 June 2017

    England U21 v Poland U21 (19:45 BST)

    'Poland is not lost' - that's a proper anthem. Sounds brilliant too. Full house. A real test for England's youngsters.

  4. Postpublished at 19:41 British Summer Time 22 June 2017

    England U21 v Poland U21 (19:45 BST)

    England's national anthem is greeted by a rather bizarre marriage of jeers and applause in Kielce. Not sure what that is all about!

    Full marks to Aidy Boothroyd on the passion stakes though. Belting it out.

  5. Postpublished at 19:38 British Summer Time 22 June 2017

    England U21 v Poland U21 (19:45 BST)

    The sprinklers are on, the teams are in the tunnel. All set in Kielce.

  6. Postpublished at 19:38 British Summer Time 22 June 2017

    England U21 v Poland U21 (19:45 BST)

    Henry Winter
    Chief Football Writer for the Times

    Tammy Abraham seemed to be moving fine in warm-up, rested v Poland tonight, after running himself into ground versus Slovakia.

  7. Postpublished at 19:34 British Summer Time 22 June 2017

    England U21 v Poland U21 (19:45 BST)

    Hosts Poland can still qualify - all four teams in Group A still can.

    We are expecting a superb atmosphere in Kielce. Excuse the cliche but the first goal is massive tonight.

  8. He's got the shoes on tonightpublished at 19:30 British Summer Time 22 June 2017

    England U21 v Poland U21 (19:45 BST)

    Fantastic.

    AidyImage source, PA
  9. Blue suede shoespublished at 19:29 British Summer Time 22 June 2017

    England U21 v Poland U21 (19:45 BST)

    So Aidy Boothroyd, how do you manage expectation and pressure in the dressing room of a major tournament?

    Players are away from home, it could get tetchy. Any ideas?

    ShoesImage source, PA

    "I knew there would be a little bit of stress and pressure so I thought I would buy a pair of shoes that might be a talking point and take some heat off the players."

    Genius.

    The shoes, which were reduced to £39.99 from £75 when Boothroyd found them on the high street, include a streak of blue suede which has stood out on the touchline.

  10. Postpublished at 19:28 British Summer Time 22 June 2017

    England U21 v Poland U21 (19:45 BST)

    England's crossing from full-back has been horrible so far, and without Tammy Abraham they won't have that big man to hit in the middle. A change in tack needed.

  11. Why no Tammy Abraham?published at 19:26 British Summer Time 22 June 2017

    England U21 v Poland U21 (19:45 BST)

    England Under-21 boss Aidy Boothroyd: "Tammy needed a breather and will be ready to come on as a substitute. A tournament like this can take its toll – we have got a squad and we need to make sure we use it."

  12. Trio in contention for top spotpublished at 19:20 British Summer Time 22 June 2017

    Group C

    .Image source, Getty Images

    The final round of Group C matches take place on Saturday with Germany on the verge of sealing their place in the semi-finals. They are currently on six points and will take top spot if they at least draw with Italy.

    The Italians, on three points, will finish top if they beat Germany and the Czech Republic do not beat Denmark.

    If the Czech Republic win and Italy beat Germany then the Czechs will finish top of the group with Italy taking second place.

    Denmark, on zero points, are already out of contention for the last four.

  13. Aidy has a headachepublished at 19:19 British Summer Time 22 June 2017

    England U21 v Poland U21 (19:45 BST)

    We are not the only ones who have been troubled by the permutations surrounding England's qualification tonight. Here's more from Under-21s boss Aidy Boothroyd:

    "We don't expect any favours tonight. We know it is in our own hands. We know Poland will be up for it.

    "I had a look at the permutations and I got a headache. I'll be getting regular updates on where we are at."

  14. Technical ability + bulldog spirit = World Cup winpublished at 19:16 British Summer Time 22 June 2017

    England U21 v Poland U21 (19:45 BST)

    BBC Radio 5 live

    Paul Simpson has been talking on BBC Radio 5 live about leading England's Under-20s to World Cup success.

    "I think it has sunk in but I don't think I'll get used to people saying World Cup-winning coach," he said.

    "A fantastic effort by all the staff and players. What an end to 35 days together, it was a wonderful feeling when the final whistle went.

    "I knew we had the ability to win it but my concern was our record going into U20 World Cup finals. They were not in our favour but I just hoped the players would get good experience of tournament football.

    "If you look right through all the development teams we have some very talented footballers, some players with real technical ability and some with that bulldog spirit and if we can marry the two together then it is good signs for the future."

  15. 'Calm heads in the chaos'published at 19:14 British Summer Time 22 June 2017

    England U21 v Poland U21 (19:45 BST)

    England manager Aidy Boothroyd: "We have played with Demarai Gray and Nathan Redmond up front before, they are little wasps flying in between the lines.

    "It is a different attacking threat. Poland are going to come out flying at us and we need a counter-attacking threat. We are a football team and we will do whatever it takes.

    "Poland will be really fired up for it and we need calm heads in the chaos."

  16. Spain's semi-final spot sortedpublished at 19:10 British Summer Time 22 June 2017

    Group B

    .Image source, Getty Images

    Spain play Serbia in their final Group B game tomorrow but they can pretty much afford to put their feet up because they are already through to the semi-finals.

    They've already beaten Portugal and Macedonia and will progress as group winners.

    Portugal are currently second on three points and will guarantee second place with a draw against Macedonia because of their superior head-to-head record over Serbia.

    Third-place Serbia, on one point, could sneak into second place if they beat Spain and Macedonia beat Portugal.

    Macedonia (one point) must beat Portugal and hope that Serbis don't beat Spain. If that scenario plays out, they will finish second.

  17. We meet againpublished at 19:08 British Summer Time 22 June 2017

    England U21 v Poland U21 (19:45 BST)

    England have won three of the last four meetings of the two sides, including both in qualifying for the 2006 finals – a 3-1 away victory in Rybnik and a 4-1 home triumph in Sheffield.

    Poland's last win came in September 1999, a 3-1 home success in Plock in the preliminaries for the 2000 finals.

  18. Tonight's other game...published at 19:06 British Summer Time 22 June 2017

    Slovakia U21 v Sweden U21 (19:45 BST)

    Slovakia will win the group if they beat Sweden and England fail to take three points against Poland.

    For Sweden to definitely snatch top spot, they need to beat Slovakia and for England to lose against Poland.

  19. Big night for Gray?published at 19:04 British Summer Time 22 June 2017

    England U21 v Poland U21 (19:45 BST)

    We are expecting Leicester winger Demarai Gray to start up front alongside Nathan Redmond tonight. Both men are more natural fits out wide, so England could be pretty fluid in attack. Aidy Boothroyd playing false nines?

    Revolution.

  20. Get involvedpublished at 19:02 British Summer Time 22 June 2017

    #bbcfootball or text 81111

    Have you got something to say about England's U21 campaign? Now's your chance!

    Who should have been picked? What has Aidy Boothroyd got right or wrong so far? How far can they go?

    Have your say on text (81111) or tweet (#bbcfootball).